A typical data storage system or array stores data for one or more external client devices. Conventional data storage systems typically include a storage processor and an array of disk drives electrically attached to the storage processor. The storage processor includes one or more ports, such as fibre channel ports, that allow the client devices to connect to the storage processor and is typically configured to perform load and store operations on the array of disk drives on behalf of the client devices.
Conventional data storage arrays are managed remotely by a conventional management application running on a computerized management device across a network. For example, in the case where the data storage array is configured as a CLARiiON or Celerra system, produced by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass., the management device is configured as a Unisphere device, as produced by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass.
In certain configurations, one or more hypervisor servers are disposed in electrical communication over a network with the data storage array. A hypervisor server, such as Windows Hyper-V hypervisor-based server, is configured as single hardware device having an operating system that allows the concurrent, parallel operation of distinct virtual machines (VMs). The hypervisor server can also be optionally configured with third-party software, such as a CIM object manager, that acts as a liaison between the storage array and the hypervisor server. The CIM object manager is configured to retrieve object class information (e.g., disk usage or LUN usage information) related to the hypervisor server in response to requests transmitted from the data storage array.